How should product and label photos be archived at sample approval?

Main answer · Wecent Editorial Team

Short answer: Photograph every approved sample from set views, including the label, the plug, the ports and the packaging, with a scale and a date. Name the files by product, version and date, store them with the signed approval, and keep the physical sample. Good records turn arguments into a quick comparison.

Why photos matter

A signed approval email says the sample is accepted, but it rarely shows what was accepted. Later, when a label looks different or a finish is darker, photos show what you actually approved.

Which views to capture

1. Product front, back, top, bottom and both sides.
2. The plug and blades, close up.
3. All ports and connectors.
4. The rating label at high resolution, straight on and readable.
5. Any logo, certification mark and warning text.
6. The inner box and the outer carton, with their labels.
7. Packaging contents laid out together.
8. A scale or ruler and a neutral background.

How to photograph

• Use even light and avoid glare on labels.
• Take shots from a fixed distance and angle for each view.
• Add a note card in the picture with the product name, the version and the date.
• Include a colour reference if colour matters.

File naming and storage

Use a pattern such as product-code, version, view and date. Store the folder with the signed approval, the drawing version, the bill of materials and the test report. Use a shared drive with backup, and give access to purchasing, compliance and quality.

Keep the physical sample

Label it with the approval date, seal it in a bag and store it. A photo shows what it looks like, but not how it feels or works.

Retention

Keep the records as long as the product is sold and for a reasonable period after, according to your legal and warranty needs.

Use it in disputes

When production differs, compare side by side with the approval photos and agree on what is within tolerance.

A simple checklist

Before you sign the approval, confirm that the photo set is complete, the label is readable at full size, the file names follow the pattern and the folder is saved where the team can find it. Five minutes now saves hours later.

Where this answer says to confirm with Wecent, the detail is not published on the product page and has to come from the datasheet or the factory. General facts come from the regulators, standards bodies or device makers named in the text.